Historic Venue: The Ryman Auditorium

With the release of a brand new live album from Band of Horses, we look back at what has made this Nashville venue the hallowed ground it is now considered to be.

The historic Ryman Auditorium, now 124 years old and going strong, is one of the most iconic venues in the world. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, the Ryman was once home to the Grand Ole Opry, the radio show that many credit with bringing Country music to mainstream audiences. The show remained at the Ryman for more than 30 years, cementing it into music history forever; this momentous time at the venue earned it an impressive nickname: the “Mother Church of Country Music.” Since, the venue has undergone some changes, but it remains one of the biggest stops in the bustling Nashville music scene.

Over its storied history, the Ryman has hosted some of the biggest names in Country music. In it’s beginnings though, the Ryman was known for producing amazing speeches and non-musical performances by the likes of Teddy Rooseveldt, William Howard Taft, Charlie Chaplin, and even Helen Keller. Up until 1943, the venue rarely hosted musical performances, but this changed in a big way with the arrival of the Grand Ole Opry.